Leaf mutants in diploid red clover (Trifolium pratense L.).

Leaf mutants were isolated and genetically stabilised in diploid red clover (Trifolium pratense). The major alteration showed normal trifoliolate leaves changed into multifoliolate leaves composed of 4-, 5-, 6- and 7 leaflets. As a result of recombination with other mutant alleles several genotypes were isolated with a different mode of leaf setting, different shapes and sizes of leaflets, variations in the whole plant habit, etc. A careful description was made of the mutant morphology and the development and genetic background was estimated as (h sl (2) ). The mutants demonstrated no disturbances in their generative reproduction and as a rule set seeds better than the standards. The primary evaluation permits a conclusion that the leaf alteration (complexity) is governed by at least three recessive pairs of alleles of additive action. The phenotypic expression of the altered leaves depends simply on the number of recessive alleles. Apart from the above there were some modifying genes of incomplete penetration.